Topic: How Close to Dance?

[philsmove]

and remember guys, even in a close hold, you still have to lead

[John Gimber: Webmaster]

Speaking for myself, I rarely sweat when dancing nowadays. I think I've become more efficient over the 33 years I've been dancing and burn less calories - this message has been sent to me by the extra two inches on my waistline.

Ah, it sound that (like me) you are approaching the age where broadness of mind and narrowness of waist become interchangeable...

And when I do sweat a bit I regard it as a clear message from my body that I need to cool down. I take a trip outside and let the sweat evaporate and do what my body dispensed the sweat for - cool me down.

If you simply remove the sweat by changing shirts you have not cooled down, your body will stay hot and will dispense more sweat as it is still trying to bring your temperature down to normal. It is no wonder that the guys who keep changing their shirts need to keep changing their shirts!

Indeed - overheating like that probably isn't good for anybody, though I am sometimes guilty of doing it myself, especially when ladies are waiting for a dance with me.

Ho hum, spare shirts for Saturday then!

P.S. Love the picture, Phil.

[andy14bike]

The advice I give guys during the lesson is that you "can get close enough to hold a donut between you, but not so close you'd squeeze the jam out".

In MJ is it ever acceptable to get close enough to squeeze the jam out?

[Andy McGregor]

The advice I give guys during the lesson is that you "can get close enough to hold a donut between you, but not so close you'd squeeze the jam out".

In MJ is it ever acceptable to get close enough to squeeze the jam out?

Yes is it. However, it requires judgement. Will the lady welcome that closest of close holds? I don't even pretend to understand women. To me it seems that some women  put themselves in a position to squash your donuts and others do not. And some days they do and some days they don't.

My advice is to leave it to the lady to travel that last little bit. And don't feel like you need to stay in that hold for the rest of the dance like it's the last track at the school disco. The "voices" in the music seem to tell you it's time for an embrace and they tell you when it's time for something else.

Can't hear the voices? You're probably normal ...

[John Gimber: Webmaster]

I'm assuming when you talk about squeezing jam out that you're talking about "squeezing it out of a very personal space"... *

Some moves do require contact, e.g. moves where you pivot the lady upside down over your leg, and others (trembler?) where you sweep the lady down, around, and back up again.  Those moves would indeed squirt the jam out, and would probably do it with enough force to spray the other people on the dancefloor.

Some of the bluesey moves are quite full-contact, and that is optional for the moves (as opposed to required, as above).

I think optional jam-squeezing is a minefield best left to partners who are very familiar with each other.

* OK, that's probably not the best way to phrase it.

[jivedave]

I'm assuming when you talk about squeezing jam out that you're talking about "squeezing it out of a very personal space"... *

Speaking of space, i think it first important to establish who's space one is actually in and to that end i call youtube (with an example of why mathematicians shouldn't tell jokes)



personally - to my partner's relief - i'm not too fond of close contact dancing partly, as heat dissipation is reduced though i like to finish with a lean or maybe something more ambitious if there is some previous acquaintance. 

 

[andy14bike]

Some moves do require contact...

So how are moves that do require close contact actually taught?

[John Gimber: Webmaster]

Normal body contact moves can be taught in normal classes.

As a matter of personal preference, I'd only teach the very "up close and personal" moves in a pre-advertised specials class.

I know that various people have different viewpoints on close dancing, so the last thing I'd want to do is have more sensitive people turn up to a class only to find that they're wearing inappropriate clothing for the moves, and also that they don't want to join in because they'd feel uncomfortable.

[martinbendle]

--but an awful lot of people dont do this, and they're not very pleasant to get 'up close and personal' to !! And, I don't feel guilty refusing a dance with them either-- If they can't be bothered to keep clean & fresh, I can't be bothered to dance-- so there !!

Agreed!  Usually it is me that's the one a bit (sometimes to say the least) on the warm side, and I'd far rather someone say no, than dance anyway... if you won't enjoy the dance, I'm unlikely to either (the best follows are the ones are the ones who are actually enjoy the dance).  I'd even go so far as saying that I'd rather be told to go and change my shirt first: I usually have a spare (or more), and often don't notice when I've had a run of dances.

[philsmove]

sorry wrong place

[andy14bike]

How close to dance? Some would say close enough to feel your partner's heart beat, otherwise why dance?

[Matt E]

How close to dance? Some would say close enough to feel your partner's heart beat, otherwise why dance?

  Would you like some corn with your cheese?